By Gabbie Burton
Contributing Writer

When Josy Flores first immigrated to the United States in 2009, she never expected to one day own a restaurant. She knew her life was changing for the better, but she never knew just how much. Now 16 years later, she’s the proud owner of Flowers Café in Oxford, which opened in October of 2024.

When Flores was just 21, her father, who was living in Avondale, secured her green card so she could come join the rest of the family here. However, Flores couldn’t just up and leave her hometown of Pachuquilla, Mexico. She had her family to think about: two young daughters and her husband, Miguel.

Flores immediately started working to get the residence extended to her daughters, who were just toddlers at the time. She successfully secured green cards for the young girls, something she emphasized was extremely “lucky.” However, her husband, Miguel, was not as fortunate. With a wife and two young daughters leaving home for a new country, he knew he had to come as well despite not having a green card.

“He came because we didn’t have money in Mexico, and didn’t have any opportunities,” she said. “He came here with nothing. Together, we didn’t have anything, so we started with zero and worked hard.”

Flores, Miguel and their two daughters all became U.S. citizens between 2012 and 2014, although that was just half the battle in their immigration story. Finding a way to not only survive but thrive in their new country and secure their daughters’ future success was the main focus for the family.

When they first arrived in the United States, Flores and her family moved into the basement of her parent’s home in Avondale, and for their first six months, the family slept together on the floor of the basement in a makeshift bed. Flores explained that while she was scared about having to start a new life in a new country, she knew she and Miguel would be giving their daughters a better life and was certain of their success.

“When I came here, I was thinking that I can have everything I want if I work for it,” she said.

And work they did. At first, Flores struggled to find a job because of the language barrier but Miguel began working long hours at a mushroom farm. They moved out of the basement to an apartment in Toughkenamon when Flores finally found work at Panaderia y Taqueria Morelos, where she worked every day for four years before becoming pregnant with her third and youngest daughter.

When it was time for her to return to work, Flores knew what she wanted and was not willing to waiver.

“I told myself, ‘Okay, you need one day of the week just for them,’” she said of her daughters. “I decided I needed to find a job where I would get to have off on Sundays so that I could devote all my time to them.”

While she found work at the Red Sombrero, her employers also wanted her to work on Sundays, prompting her to leave, but eventually, Florez found a job more accommodating to her schedule at Kaboburritos at the Market at Liberty Place in Kennett Square. 

She stayed there for the next eight years.

In those years, Flores and her family experienced more success. The family moved out of their apartment to a mobile home before ultimately buying a house in 2018. Her daughters kept growing and succeeding in school and activities; her husband left the mushroom industry to work in construction; and Flores learned more about the restaurant business at Kaboburritos.

“They helped me speak more English, involved me more with the customers, taught me about the food, about how I can create every single plate, and they inspired me to think about someday opening my own restaurant,” Flores said. “I was a manager so that’s when I said, ‘Why can’t I open my own restaurant?’ I can do it and be able to do something for me and for my family.”

Flores consulted with her family before taking the step into opening her own restaurant. With seven siblings, cousins, parents, husband and daughters, there was no shortage of support in reaching her goals.

“I told my family, ‘If you support me, we can do this,’ and they said, ‘Yes, you can do it, and we will help you and whatever you need, we will be there,’” she said.

That support gave Flores the confidence and push she needed to go all in on starting her Flowers Café in Oxford. She shared that she and her husband put all of their savings into the restaurant and have completely committed themselves to its success.

“I will put everything of me in this place - my heart, my soul, my work, everything I have,” she said. “I told Miguel that I will do it for him and for our daughters.”

Flores made sure to credit everyone along the way who helped her open Flowers Café – her daughters Evelin, Jeni and Melanny, who help out between school schedules; her husband Miguel; her brother Gabriel who helped in the design of the restaurant; her parents whom she credits for raising her with strong values; and to the business assistance she has received from Jeff, Larry, Chris, Tim, Carlos and many more. Without them, Flores said, she could not have ended up here.

Flores’ new life as a business owner is something that she never expected coming from her humble roots. In Pachuquilla, Flores grew up on a farm and only received schooling until sixth grade, and even though she said that others now act surprised when learning about her story and how far she has come, it’s actually no surprise at all, but a product of hard work.

“They say, ‘Really! And you are here?’” she said. “I’m here, I tell them. I’m trying my best every single day. I just wake up and say, ‘I have to keep going,’ because I have to.”

All of that hard work coupled with the obstacles she and other immigrants face in starting a life in a new country can leave Flores feeling upset and frustrated. She expressed frustration at the current increased scrutiny of immigrant populations.

“I am so frustrated, because I don’t think people deserve that,” she said. “We came here with nothing, and we are always working so hard to have what we can,” she said. “All of them [immigrants] have nothing, and they leave what they have and what happens with this now? We work so hard to have the house, have the food, have everything…it makes me sad.”

Though she sometimes feels sadness and frustration over fears facing immigrant communities, Flores remains an optimist, expressing continued gratitude for all she has.

“I see my life then and I see my life now, and I just feel so blessed with everything and everyone,” she said. “I really appreciate all of the support.”

To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email [email protected].